Heat Pipe Multilayer Capillary Wick Support Structure

ABSTRACT

A heat pipe multilayer capillary wick support structure includes a hollow pipe body, a first capillary wick and a second capillary wick in the pipe body, and an auxiliary transmission structure attached between the first and second capillary wicks; wherein the auxiliary transmission structure is composed of a plurality of running plates extended axially along the pipe body and separated parallelly with each other, and a plurality of connecting ribs connected between the running plates for forming a plurality of slender steam passages on the auxiliary transmission structure, so as to constitute a heat pipe multilayer capillary wick support structure to fit bend pipes and increase the capillary force.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an improved heat pipe multilayer capillary wick support structure, and more particularly to an improved heat pipe capillary wick support structure that uses a multilayer capillary wick and its support structure to increase the heat pipe capillary force and fit the applications of bend pipes.

2. Description of Prior Art

Referring to FIG. 1 for a sectional view of a distal end of a traditional heat pipe, the heat pipe 1 a includes a hollow pipe body 10 a, a capillary wick 11 a attached onto an internal wall surface of the pipe body 10, and a support body 12 a disposed in the pipe body 10 a for extending the capillary wick 11 a outward to attach the capillary wick 11 a onto an internal wall surface of the pipe body 10 a. Referring to FIG. 2, the support body 12 a is a hollow cylindrical object capable of pressing the capillary wick 11 a onto the internal wall surface of the pipe body 10 a. The support body 12 a further includes a plurality of steam passages 120 a for passing a working fluid through the interior of the heat pipe 1 a to facilitate a phase change.

In FIG. 1, the support body 12 a simply plays the role of a framework of the capillary wick 11 a in the technical concept of heat pipes, but it is not found that if the support body 12 a presses on the capillary wick 11 a, a gap will be produced between the support body 12 and the capillary wick 11 a, and thus the capillary action will be able to provide a transmission path for the liquid-state working fluid to increase the capillary force. Although the foregoing cylindrical support body 12 a provides a larger contact area than the capillary wick 11 a, it will cause that the heat pipe 1 a cannot be bent to fit the application for bend pipes.

Referring to FIG. 3, the support body 12 b is in a spiral shape to fit a curved heat pipe 1 a, and the transmission path of the spiral support body 12 b follows the spiral shape of the spiral support body 12 b instead of the axial direction of the heat pipe 1 a, and the spiral transmission path causes a large flow resistance and a weak capillary force.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing shortcomings of the prior art, the inventor of the present invention based on years of experience in the related industry to conduct experiments and modifications, and finally designed an improved heat pipe multilayer capillary wick support structure in accordance with the present invention.

Therefore, the present invention is to provide an improved heat pipe multilayer capillary wick support structure that uses a multilayer capillary wick and its support structure to provide additional double-sided solid interfaces and improve the heat pipe capillary structure and its capillary force, and the support structure can be bent to provide a bend pipe for different curved heat pipes.

The present invention provides an improved heat pipe multilayer capillary wick support structure, comprising: a hollow pipe body having an internal wall surface; a first capillary wick disposed on the internal wall surface of the pipe body; a second capillary wick disposed in the first capillary wick; and an auxiliary transmission structure attached between the first and second capillary wicks for supporting the first capillary wick onto the internal wall surface of the pipe body; wherein, the auxiliary transmission structure is comprised of a plurality of running plates extended axially along the pipe body and separated parallelly with each other, and a plurality of connecting ribs connected between the running plates for forming a plurality of slender steam passages on the auxiliary transmission structure. Therefore, the invention can provide a heat pipe multilayer capillary wick support structure applicable for bend pipes and improve the capillary force.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The features of the invention believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself however may be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of the invention, which describes certain exemplary embodiments of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a distal end of a traditional heat pipe;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a lateral side of a portion of a traditional heat pipe;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a lateral side of a portion of another traditional heat pipe;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a distal end of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a lateral side of a portion of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a lateral side of a portion of an auxiliary transmission structure in accordance to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The technical characteristics, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the drawings are provided for reference and illustration only and are not intended for limiting the scope of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 for an exploded view of the present invention and a sectional view of a distal end of the present invention respectively, the invention provides an improved heat pipe multilayer capillary wick support structure, wherein the heat pipe 1 includes a hollow pipe body 10, a first capillary wick 11 and a second capillary wick 12 in the pipe body 10, and an auxiliary transmission structure 13 attached between the first and second capillary wicks 11, 12.

The pipe body 10 is hollow and provided for containing the first and second capillary wicks 11, 12 and the auxiliary transmission structure 13, and an internal wall surface 100 is formed inside the pipe body 10. In this embodiment, the first capillary wick 11 could be a single-layer screen mesh or a multi-layer screen mesh disposed between the pipe body 10 and the auxiliary transmission structure 13. The first capillary wick 11 is supported by the auxiliary transmission structure 13 and attached onto the internal wall surface 100 of the pipe body 10, wherein a portion or a whole of the circumference of the auxiliary transmission structure 13 can be attached onto the internal wall surface 100 of the pipe body 10. The second capillary wick 12 also could be a screen mesh attached onto the auxiliary transmission structure 13, and the size of meshes of the second capillary wick 12 is larger than that of the first capillary wick 11, and the thickness of the auxiliary transmission structure 13 is smaller than the thickness of the first and second capillary wicks 11, 12.

Referring to FIG. 6, the auxiliary transmission structure 13 of the invention is comprised of a plurality of running plates 130 extended axially along the pipe body 10 and separated parallelly with each other, and a plurality of connecting ribs 131 connected between the running plates 130 for forming a plurality of slender steam passages 132 on the auxiliary transmission structure 13.

Therefore, each running plate 130 of the auxiliary transmission structure 13 has a continuous surface extended axially along the pipe body 10 and contacted with the first and second capillary wicks 11, 12, such that the liquid-state working fluid can be flowed continuously along the axial direction of the capillary transmission without interruptions. Since the plurality of connecting ribs 131 are connected among the running plates 130, a curved structure is formed to fit the application of bend pipes on the heat pipe 1. Further, the auxiliary transmission structure 13 can maintain its feature of supporting the first capillary wick 11 to attach the first capillary wick 11 onto the internal wall surface 100 of the pipe body 10, and the running plates 130 and the connecting ribs 131 can form a plurality of slender steam passages 132 to assure the phase change of the working fluid.

Referring to FIG. 7, the steam passages 132 between the running plates 130 of the auxiliary transmission structure 13 are arranged alternately, and the embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 6 adopts a matrix arrangement.

With the forgoing structure, an improved heat pipe multilayer capillary wick support structure in accordance with the present invention is provided.

In summation of the description above, the present invention herein enhances the performance of the conventional structure and further complies with the patent application requirements and is duly filed for patent application.

The present invention is illustrated with reference to the preferred embodiment and not intended to limit the patent scope of the present invention. Various substitutions and modifications have suggested in the foregoing description, and other will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all such substitutions and modifications are intended to be embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. 

1. A heat pipe multilayer capillary wick support structure, comprising: a hollow pipe body, having an internal wall surface; a first capillary wick, disposed on the internal wall surface of the pipe body; a second capillary wick, disposed in the first capillary wick; and an auxiliary transmission structure, attached between the first and second capillary wicks, for supporting the first capillary wick onto the internal wall surface of the pipe body; wherein the auxiliary transmission structure includes a plurality of running plates extended axially along the pipe body and separated parallelly with each other, and a plurality of connecting ribs connected between the running plates for forming a plurality of slender steam passages on the auxiliary transmission structure.
 2. The improved heat pipe multilayer capillary wick support structure of claim 1, wherein the first capillary wick is a screen mesh.
 3. The improved heat pipe multilayer capillary wick support structure of claim 1, wherein the first capillary wick comprises a plurality of layers of screen meshes stacked with each other.
 4. The improved heat pipe multilayer capillary wick support structure of claim 1, wherein the second capillary wick is a screen mesh.
 5. The improved heat pipe multilayer capillary wick support structure of claim 1, wherein the mesh of the second capillary wick is larger than that of the first capillary wick.
 6. The improved heat pipe multilayer capillary wick support structure of claim 1, wherein the steam passages between the running plates of the auxiliary transmission structure are arranged in matrix.
 7. The improved heat pipe multilayer capillary wick support structure of claim 1, wherein the steam passages between the running plates of the auxiliary transmission structure are arranged alternately with each other.
 8. The improved heat pipe multilayer capillary wick support structure of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary transmission structure with a portion of its circumference disposed on the internal wall surface of the pipe body.
 9. The improved heat pipe multilayer capillary wick support structure of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary transmission structure with its whole circumference disposed on the internal wall surface of the pipe body.
 10. The improved heat pipe multilayer capillary wick support structure of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary transmission structure has a thickness smaller than the thickness of the first and second capillary wicks. 